public opinion public opinion & political socialization
DESCRIPTION
Checks on American Govt. from Public Opinion Representative govt. Representative govt. –(Federalist 10 & creation of republic) Federalism Federalism Separation of powers Separation of powers BOR BOR Independent judiciary Independent judiciaryTRANSCRIPT
Public Opinion Public Opinion & Political & Political
SocializationSocialization
Public OpinionPublic Opinion Did the Framer’s intend for our Did the Framer’s intend for our
government to mirror public opinion?government to mirror public opinion? What part of our government What part of our government
protects against public opinion or protects against public opinion or “popular passions”?“popular passions”?
Checks on American Govt. Checks on American Govt. from Public Opinionfrom Public Opinion
Representative govt.Representative govt.– ((Federalist 10Federalist 10 & creation of republic) & creation of republic)
FederalismFederalism Separation of powersSeparation of powers BORBOR Independent judiciaryIndependent judiciary
Public OpinionPublic Opinion The attitudes, perceptions, and viewpoints The attitudes, perceptions, and viewpoints
individuals hold about government and individuals hold about government and politicspolitics
Influenced by political culture and political Influenced by political culture and political socializationsocialization
Skewed by limited political education and Skewed by limited political education and efficacyefficacy
Shaped by government, interest groups, Shaped by government, interest groups, and mass mediaand mass media
Development of PollsDevelopment of Polls Straw PollsStraw Polls
– Asked same question to large number of peopleAsked same question to large number of people– Unreliable due to no cross-section of general Unreliable due to no cross-section of general
populationpopulation George Gallup’s IdeasGeorge Gallup’s Ideas
– SamplingSampling Represent general population and Represent general population and
randomizedrandomized 1000-15001000-1500
– Valid questionsValid questions Clear, fair, unbiased, not misleadingClear, fair, unbiased, not misleading
– Control of pollControl of poll Tone of question, basic knowledge of issuesTone of question, basic knowledge of issues
– AnalysisAnalysis Provide sampling errorsProvide sampling errors, show time and , show time and
place of pollplace of poll
Political SocializationPolitical Socialization Process through which an individual Process through which an individual
acquires political opinions and acquires political opinions and assimilates into our nation’s political assimilates into our nation’s political systemsystem
Agents of socializationAgents of socialization– FamilyFamily– SchoolSchool– Peer GroupsPeer Groups– Mass MediaMass Media
Factors that Affect Factors that Affect Public OpinionPublic Opinion
ReligionReligion Religious influences on opinion most Religious influences on opinion most
pronounced on social issuespronounced on social issues Jews are the most liberal demographic group Jews are the most liberal demographic group
todaytoday Catholics tend to be liberalCatholics tend to be liberal Protestants tend to be conservativeProtestants tend to be conservative Fundamentalist Christians (born again or Fundamentalist Christians (born again or
evangelicals) are the most conservative groups evangelicals) are the most conservative groups todaytoday
Christian Coalition- Republican affiliation, was Christian Coalition- Republican affiliation, was once very powerful grassroots organizationonce very powerful grassroots organization
Atheist or agnostics are more liberal than Atheist or agnostics are more liberal than conservativeconservative
Gender GapGender Gap Women were more likely to support the Women were more likely to support the
Republican Party than men in the 1920s Republican Party than men in the 1920s and through the 1960s…correlation and through the 1960s…correlation reversedreversed
Men have become increasingly Republican Men have become increasingly Republican since the 1960s but women has remained since the 1960s but women has remained unchangedunchanged
Biggest reason for gap: size of govt., gun Biggest reason for gap: size of govt., gun control, spending programs aimed at poor, control, spending programs aimed at poor, and gay rightsand gay rights
EducationEducation Increased schooling leads to greater Increased schooling leads to greater
political activitypolitical activity College tends to have a liberalizing College tends to have a liberalizing
affect on studentsaffect on students Students at the most prestigious or Students at the most prestigious or
selective colleges are the most selective colleges are the most liberal of all liberal of all
Married v. UnmarriedMarried v. Unmarried Singles are more likely to vote for Singles are more likely to vote for
Democratic candidatesDemocratic candidates Married voters are more likely to Married voters are more likely to
support Republicanssupport Republicans
Sexual OrientationSexual Orientation Homosexuals tend to side Homosexuals tend to side
with liberal policies with liberal policies especially regarding especially regarding social issuessocial issues
Homosexuals Homosexuals concentrated in urban concentrated in urban areasareas
Strong religious Strong religious affiliations compel most affiliations compel most heterosexuals to deny heterosexuals to deny equal rights to equal rights to homosexualshomosexuals
Blue: Allows same sex marriageRed: State constitution bans same sex marriage and same sex unions
Social ClassSocial Class Americans vote less based on Americans vote less based on
class than Europeansclass than Europeans The main reason is COLLEGE- the The main reason is COLLEGE- the
great equalizer of the social great equalizer of the social classes.classes.
This factor has recently been the This factor has recently been the most unclear and hardest trait to most unclear and hardest trait to predictpredict
Social ClassSocial Class Lower-classLower-class
– Limited educationLimited education– Prefer more government economic Prefer more government economic
interventionintervention– Tend to vote Democrat, but low Tend to vote Democrat, but low
voter turnoutvoter turnout Working-class (blue-collar)Working-class (blue-collar)
– Tend to vote Democrat, but subject Tend to vote Democrat, but subject to other influencesto other influences
– White blue-collar workers tend to White blue-collar workers tend to vote more Republicanvote more Republican
Middle-class (white-collar)Middle-class (white-collar)– Tend to be split and dependent on Tend to be split and dependent on
other influencesother influences Upper-classUpper-class
– Tend to vote Republican with pro-Tend to vote Republican with pro-business policies and less business policies and less government economic intrusiongovernment economic intrusion
Race and EthnicityRace and Ethnicity Whites vote more Whites vote more
RepublicanRepublican– Support death penalty, Support death penalty,
more defense spendingmore defense spending Blacks vote more Blacks vote more
DemocratDemocrat– Affirmative action, Affirmative action,
national healthcarenational healthcare Hispanics vote more Hispanics vote more
DemocratDemocrat– immigrationimmigration
Asians vote more Asians vote more RepublicanRepublican– Conservative cultureConservative culture2008 Democratic primary campaign
between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton
RegionRegion New England - more New England - more
liberalliberal Southeast/Bible Belt - Southeast/Bible Belt -
more conservativemore conservative Midwest - more Midwest - more
conservativeconservative Pacific - more liberalPacific - more liberal Urban - more Urban - more
liberal/Democraticliberal/Democratic Suburbs/small towns - Suburbs/small towns -
more conservativemore conservative Rural - more Rural - more
conservative/Republicaconservative/Republicann
““Solid SouthSolid South
Cleavages in Public Cleavages in Public OpinionOpinion
Public opinions are never absolute and always Public opinions are never absolute and always overlapoverlap
Examples:Examples:– Blacks vote Democrat due to support on affirmative Blacks vote Democrat due to support on affirmative
action and equality policies, but most blacks are action and equality policies, but most blacks are against gay marriageagainst gay marriage
– Cubans vote Republican despite majority of Cubans vote Republican despite majority of Hispanics voting Democrat for immigration policiesHispanics voting Democrat for immigration policies
– A blue-collar worker would vote Democrat for pro-A blue-collar worker would vote Democrat for pro-union policies, but votes Republican due to union policies, but votes Republican due to conservative religious traditionsconservative religious traditions
– Though men tend to vote more Republican than Though men tend to vote more Republican than women, most men support pro-choice policieswomen, most men support pro-choice policies